Freed Memorial Lecture Series Investigates the Historical Jesus

Mar 28, 2014

Humboldt State’s Religious Studies Department presents the second installment of the Eric Freed Memorial Lecture Series on Wednesday, April 2, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Native American Forum (Behavioral & Social Sciences Building, Rm. 162).

Fr. Eric Freed

The topic will be “Biblical Criticism and the Historical Jesus.” Fr. Freed devoted many years of study to the question of “the Historical Jesus.” This has been a major focus of modern New Testament scholarship, and it attempts to understand the person of Jesus and his message as it can be understood through modern historical methods. The results of this scholarship have proven to be a significant challenge to central doctrines of Christian theology (e.g., whether Jesus claimed to be God, and whether Jesus promised salvation in Heaven through his death on the cross). Nevertheless, Fr. Freed often said that his research in the historical Jesus helped to save his own faith.

This lecture will address some basic conclusions of research about Jesus, outline basic conclusions about Jesus’ identity, and why this research is of importance for modern people, both inside and outside of Christianity.

Speakers for this event include Jeff Sellars (Lecturer, Southwestern Oregon Community College), William Herbrechtsmeier (Professor of Religious Studies), and Emily Reeves (Student in Religious Studies). The speakers will each address the audience with prepared remarks, and will then serve as panelists for open discussion with those in attendance.

The Eric Freed Memorial Lecture Series celebrates the life and career of Fr. Eric Freed with a series of three lectures. Each of these lectures is presented by the HSU Religious Studies Department and is devoted to a topic of importance to Fr. Freed.

The final event in this series will be “Religion and Social Action” on April 23. All events take place in the Native American Forum at 7 p.m. More information to follow.